Michael Barber, an experienced beekeeper and owner of Tri-City Bee Rescue in Guelph, received an urgent call from the police around 7:00 a.m. local time. The reason? Five million bees had escaped from their hives after the truck transporting them to their winter location met with an accident in Burlington, Ontario. The straps holding the hives had come undone, causing chaos on the road.
Upon his arrival, Barber described the scene as “a pretty crazy cloud of bees” who were “very angry, confused and homeless”. Police had issued warnings on social media, warning people to avoid the area and advising drivers to keep their windows down. Barber, who has been a beekeeper for 11 years, said the scene was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Acting quickly, Barber called on other beekeepers for help. Around a dozen showed up, despite the risks involved. “There were a lot of flying bees that made even beekeepers in full suit nervous,” Barber explained.
The bees and hives spread out in a 1,300-foot radius. The younger bees huddled in nearby cars and posts for safety, while the older, angrier bees were buzzing. Although most of the bees returned to their hives eventually, several hundred did not survive. A number of beekeepers were stung and the truck driver, who was not wearing full beekeeping gear, suffered more than 100 stings but was not seriously injured, thanks to nearby paramedics.
Barber expressed gratitude for the assistance of local beekeepers, adding that the episode served as a critical reminder to always protect your hives. “Lesson learned. Everyone survived and some bees were hurt,” he concluded.
This article is sourced from and written by AI.
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